Fabulousness

This morning, I came home from my boyfriend's apartment to find my roommate at her computer. "Jo, you have to read this," Lisa said, and shoved her computer in my general direction. What follows is the sheer brilliance she shared with me. I feel it follows the trend of my posts so far quite well.

If Men Could Menstruate

by Gloria Steinem

Living in India made me understand that a white minority of the world has spent centuries conning us into thinking a white skin makes people superior, even though the only thing it really does is make them more subject to ultraviolet rays and wrinkles.

Reading Freud made me just as skeptical about penis envy. The power of giving birth makes "womb envy" more logical, and an organ as external and unprotected as the penis makes men very vulnerable indeed.

But listening recently to a woman describe the unexpected arrival of her menstrual period (a red stain had spread on her dress as she argued heatedly on the public stage) still made me cringe with embarrassment. That is, until she explained that, when finally informed in whispers of the obvious event, she said to the all-male audience, "and you should be proud to have a menstruating woman on your stage. It's probably the first real thing that's happened to this group in years."

Laughter. Relief. She had turned a negative into a positive. Somehow her story merged with India and Freud to make me finally understand the power of positive thinking. Whatever a "superior" group has will be used to justify its superiority, and whatever and "inferior" group has will be used to justify its plight. Black me were given poorly paid jobs because they were said to be "stronger" than white men, while all women were relegated to poorly paid jobs because they were said to be "weaker." As the little boy said when asked if he wanted to be a lawyer like his mother, "Oh no, that's women's work." Logic has nothing to do with oppression.

So what would happen if suddenly, magically, men could menstruate and women could not?

Clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event:

Men would brag about how long and how much.

Young boys would talk about it as the envied beginning of manhood. Gifts, religious ceremonies, family dinners, and stag parties would mark the day.

To prevent monthly work loss among the powerful, Congress would fund a National Institute of Dysmenorrhea. Doctors would research little about heart attacks, from which men would be hormonally protected, but everything about cramps.

Sanitary supplies would be federally funded and free. Of course, some men would still pay for the prestige of such commercial brands as Paul Newman Tampons, Muhammad Ali's Rope-a-Dope Pads, John Wayne Maxi Pads, and Joe Namath Jock Shields- "For Those Light Bachelor Days."

Statistical surveys would show that men did better in sports and won more Olympic medals during their periods.

Generals, right-wing politicians, and religious fundamentalists would cite menstruation ("men-struation") as proof that only men could serve God and country in combat ("You have to give blood to take blood"), occupy high political office ("Can women be properly fierce without a monthly cycle governed by the planet Mars?"), be priests, ministers, God Himself ("He gave this blood for our sins"), or rabbis ("Without a monthly purge of impurities, women are unclean").

Male liberals and radicals, however, would insist that women are equal, just different; and that any woman could join their ranks if only she were willing to recognize the primacy of menstrual rights ("Everything else is a single issue") or self-inflict a major wound every month ("You must give blood for the revolution").

Street guys would invent slang ("He's a three-pad man") and "give fives" on the corner with some exchenge like, "Man you lookin' good!"

"Yeah, man, I'm on the rag!"

TV shows would treat the subject openly. (Happy Days: Richie and Potsie try to convince Fonzie that he is still "The Fonz," though he has missed two periods in a row. Hill Street Blues: The whole precinct hits the same cycle.) So would newspapers. (Summer Shark Scare Threatens Menstruating Men. Judge Cites Monthlies In Pardoning Rapist.) And so would movies. (Newman and Redford in Blood Brothers!)

Men would convince women that sex was more pleasurable at "that time of the month." Lesbians would be said to fear blood and therefore life itself, though all they needed was a good menstruating man.

Medical schools would limit women's entry ("they might faint at the sight of blood").

Of course, intellectuals would offer the most moral and logical arguements. Without the biological gift for measuring the cycles of the moon and planets, how could a woman master any discipline that demanded a sense of time, space, mathematics-- or the ability to measure anything at all? In philosophy and religion, how could women compensate for being disconnected from the rhythm of the universe? Or for their lack of symbolic death and resurrection every month?

Menopause would be celebrated as a positive event, the symbol that men had accumulated enough years of cyclical wisdom to need no more.

Liberal males in every field would try to be kind. The fact that "these people" have no gift for measuring life, the liberals would explain, should be punishment enough.

And how would women be trained to react? One can imagine right-wing women agreeing to all these arguements with a staunch and smiling masochism. ("The ERA would force housewives to wound themselves every month": Phyllis Schlafly)

In short, we would discover, as we should already, that logic is in the eye of the logician. (For instance, here's an idea for theorists and logicians: if women are supposed to be less rational and more emotional at the beginning of our menstrual cycle when the female hormone is at its lowest level, then why isn't it logical to say that, in those few days, women behave the most like the way men behave all month long? I leave further improvisation up to you.)

The truth is that, if men could menstruate, the power justifications would go on and on.

If we let them.

More on Sexual Assault Awareness Week

Just to answer those nagging questions, I wanted to post the FAQs that people are pondering about the University not having a sexual assault policy. No, I am not a raging femme-Nazi, but I do think that this is one of those no-brainer bonehead things the University should've done a long time ago. Anyway, check out the facts:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Common Sense says there was only one rape at the University in 2004. Does the University really need a policy if it only applies to one person every year?
Common Sense only reports crimes that are reported to the police and those crimes that occur on University property or in areas contiguous to University property. Fewer than 1 in 20 campus rapes or attempted rapes are reported to the police. This is because the vast majority of rape on college campuses is acquaintance rape and generally is unreported (see next question). Furthermore, most rape happens in the home of the victim or a close friend and student apartments, because they do not constitute University property, are not included in the Common Sense statistics. In fact, sexual assault does happen at the University of Chicago, in much greater numbers than Common Sense would have you believe.

2. Shouldn’t the police handle it? It’s not the University’s job.
Sexual assault is a felony and a serious crime. However, because of the way in which law enforcement handles sexual assault and the fact that most rape is acquaintance rape, most rape goes unreported. According to a report prepared by the majority staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1993, fewer than 1 in 20 completed or attempted campus rapes are reported. Survivors may find it extremely difficult to report a boyfriend, classmate, husband, girlfriend, partner, sibling or parent to the police. Because of this, it is important that the University have a mechanism to handle sexual assault that occurs within the University. Whether or not a survivor chooses to file a police report, they still deserve to feel and be safe, particularly on campus, in classes, in dormitories, and as a part of the University community. Finally, even when a rape is reported to the police, it might not be prosecuted by the criminal justice system. In particular, acquaintance rape is rarely prosecuted, and a University policy would provide a nonlegal mechanism through which survivors could attempt to reclaim their safety and control over their lives even if the criminal justice system chose not to prosecute their case. Many other universities, including Stanford, Harvard, Caltech, U. Penn, UC Berkeley, and Princeton have explicit sexual assault policies.

3. Why should I care?
It’s easy to think that sexual assault happens elsewhere or that all rapists jump out from bushes or attack their victims in abandoned alleys. In reality, most rape is acquaintance rape and most rape happens in the home of a victim or a friend or relative. According to a study in 2000, 34% of completed rapes and 45% of attempted rapes take place on campus. That means that at the U of C, with 4000 undergraduate students, there are, on average, four or five rapes every week for the entire school year. It is well accepted that 1 in 4 college women is a survivor of rape of attempted rape . Chances are you know more than four women. Chances are high that you or a close friend or family member has been or will be a rape survivor. It is important to understand what sexual assault is, how you can take care of yourself if it happens to you, and how to help a friend who has been assaulted. You probably also want your friends and family to have access to sexual assault resources and clear explanations of actions that they can take within the University for their own safety.

4. This seems like a women’s issue.
It is true that the majority of sexual assault survivors are women. However, men constitute almost 10% of rape victims, that is more than 30,000 male rape victims per year in the United States. Sexual assault is not a gender-specific crime. Men, women, and transgendered people may be survivors of or perpetrators of sexual assault. Heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people may be survivors of or perpetrators of sexual assault. Sexual assault affects all communities and people of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and experiences.

5. Don’t we already have a sexual harassment policy?
We do have a sexual harassment policy; most universities established them in the early 1980s, and the U of C adopted its policy in 1990. Sexual harassment is prohibited by federal laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. However, a sexual harassment policy is not enough. According to Illinois law, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and sexual assault constitute three separate crimes, and the latter two are extremely serious (misdemeanor and felony, respectively). It is essential that University policy distinguish among these three offenses. Furthermore, sexual harassment is predominately “[dealt] with informally”, which is frequently not the appropriate manner in which to handle sexual assault. Finally, the characterization of sexual assault as a “direct form of sexual harassment” trivializes both crimes. Sexual assault is a violent crime and much more serious than sexual harassment. However, sexual harassment is itself a direct action.

6. What about false accusations?
Many people are concerned that increasing the ease with which survivors can come forward and file a complaint would also increase the number of false accusations made. This belief is completely inaccurate. In particular, sexual assault is currently the most underreported of all crimes (see number 2) and, according to the US Department of Justice, no crime is less likely to be falsely reported than sexual assault. This is in part because our society imposes a huge stigma against sexual assault survivors. Furthermore, having explicit definitions of sexual assault/abuse/harassment and of consent would benefit someone who was falsely accused of rape, unlikely as it is. Furthermore, we are also asking the University to explicitly detail the rights of the accused, as well as the complainant, in disciplinary proceedings.

7. What’s the policy now?
The University of Chicago currently does not have any explicit policy statement about sexual assault on campus. Sexual assault is handed by the Dean of Students in the division of the accused. The University does have a sexual harassment policy (see number 5) but this is not sufficient. Many other universities, including Stanford, Harvard, Caltech, U. Penn, UC Berkeley, and Princeton, have explicit sexual assault policies that are distinct from their sexual harassment policies.

8. What have you already done?
We’ve met with a number of different administrators (see number 11). We wrote up a letter detailing our complaints; nineteen student organizations, including the University Student Government, endorsed the letter. We also obtained more than 700 signatures on a petition demanding a comprehensive sexual assault policy; these signatures came from undergraduates, graduates, faculty, parents and other members of the University community. On the resource front, we successfully spearheaded the effort to put together a comprehensive website about sexual violence (sexualviolence.uchicago.edu) that is intended to provide information about what sexual violence is, what forms it takes, the various avenues and resources available to a survivor, for example. We also worked with the College Programing Office to improve the way that sexual assault is discussed during Orientation Week and to improve the training of O-leaders.

9. What is sexual assault/harassment/abuse?
According to Illinois State Law, sexual harassment is unwanted sexual attention, usually verbal. Once there is physical contact, the offense becomes sexual abuse, defined as an unwanted act of sexual conduct by use/threat of force, including groping, unwanted touching, and anything leading up to penetration. Once there is penetration, the offense is sexual assault, defined as sexual penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth by the use or threat of force, even slight. Penetration can be digital (with fingers), with an object, or with an organ (penis, tongue). Rape is the more informal term for sexual assault, but in the state of Illinois, the two mean the same.

10. What do you want the University to do?
We insist on an official University Policy on Sexual Assault to include the following:
• A Zero Tolerance Statement
• Clear definitions of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment
• A statement that sexual assault is not gender-specific
• Clear instructions for how a survivor can seek help, report the crime, and take action
• Explicit descriptions of how the University responds to sexual assault
• Explicit descriptions of disciplinary action available within the university, including the rights of the survivor and the accused
• Descriptions of prevention and educational programs within the University

11. With whom are you working?
We’ve been meeting regularly with Martina Munsters; she is working on a proposal to put together a committee to begin talking about having a sexual assault policy. We’ve also met with Bill Michel and Susan Art. We’ve also met with Aneesah Ali, the Affirmative Action Coordinator. Copies of our petition have been sent to Don Randel, Steve Klass, Richard Sallers, Aneesah Ali, Martha Roth, Belinda Cortez-Vasquez, and Susan Art.

12. Is any of this actually going to do anything?
We hope so. According to a study by the Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, a vast majority of rape service agencies believe that public education about rape, and expanded counseling and advocacy services for rape victims would be effective in increasing the willingness of victims to report rapes to the police. We hope that expanding knowledge about rape on this campus, and improving options for survivors will be an effective means to help survivors through the process and, eventually, reduce rape at the university.

Letters of Rec and Ethics

I am currently applying for a fellowship to do non-profit through Princeton University through something called Project 55 (check it out at www.actbig.org). It's a fellowship where you work for a non-profit organization for a year after graduation in a field of interest to you. I am trying for education policy in Chicago Public Schools, so we'll see what happens.

Anyway, in order to apply for this business, you need to submit a transcript, an essay, the application, and two letters of recommendation. All of this is totally standard fare. The only problem I am currently having is as follows: one of my recommenders (my boss at work) told me to write myself a letter of rec, and that she would sign off on it. "Feel free to embellish as much as you want," she said, "because it's all true." It was a high compliment to receive from one's boss, yet I am still a bit perplexed. How does one go about doing something like this?

The fabulous Naomi said that it was totally ethical and something that people do all the time. This I don't doubt; no one wants to take the time to do anything that can't be delivered instantly via some form of technology. But how do I do this? I have no idea what to say. I asked her for some ideas, and she gave me standard fare: diligent, hard working, responsible, creative... I just feel like a massive tool even thinking about putting pen to paper (or hands to keys?) to write this. Suggestions?

Sexual Assault Awareness Week

This week is Sexual Assault Awareness week and all you bitches better participate. Ask me about wearing a 1 in 4 t-shirt on Friday (for further explanation of the meaning of 1 in 4, see below). The shirt is free and this will help the administration get a clue that we need a sexual assault policy. That's right, the U of C has no formal sexual assualt policy! Problematic, no? Anyway, ask me or email Aya (aya@uchicago.edu) to get a shirt to wear. They are totally free and super stylish. The rest of the events for the week are as follows:

January 30- February 3

Our goal is by Friday, February 3, every single person on the U of C campus (undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members, staff members, everyone!) will understand the following two points:

1) Sexual assault happens at the U of C
In a study of private and public 4-year universities, 1 in 4 undergraduate women has experienced rape or attempted rape. Sexual assaults reported in U of C publications (e.g. Commonsense) are only those for which a police report has been filed and that which happens on the University campus. Since ~90% of sexual assault goes unreported (even more on university campuses), the number of sexual assaults reported in U of C publications grossly underestimates what's actually happening. Furthermore, most rape happens in the home of the victim or a friend, and student apartments (off the University campus) do not count in the Common Sense statistic.

2) The University has NO official Sexual Assault Policy
The only reference to sexual assault in existing University Policy is a definition of sexual assault as "a direct form of sexual harassment" (and nothing else) in the sexual harassment policy. The new disciplinary policies make some reference to the specific policies of disciplinary hearings during sexual assault but these include no enumeration of informal options, the rights of the complainant and the accused, or resources for survivors available on campus. Additionally, there is not extensive education about sexual harassment and sexual assault is required or available of many authority positions, including TAs and faculty. Stop by our tables, MWF in the Reynold's Club between 11 and 2.

Monday: Thelma and Louise
Free screening in BSLC 115
Discussion to follow
FREE PIZZA AND DRINKS

Coordinated by Southside Sexual Assault and Violence Educators

Tuesday/Thursday:
Free hot drinks outside Cobb Stop by our table for FREE hot chocolate, tea, and cider on the quads. Facts about sexual violence or about the way the university handles sexual violence come free with the hot drinks as part of our consciousness-raising campaign.
12-2

Thursday: What is Sexual Assault?
Vicki Sides, director of Resources for Sexual Violence Prevention, address what sexual assault is and how is manifests itself and affects different communities. What is Rape Trauma Syndrome? What do you do if you are assaulted? How can you help a friend who has been assaulted? What resources are available to survivors? What actions can survivors take? Crucial information about sexual assault for everyone.

Vicki Sides (Director of RSVP)
Free Dinner
Stuart 101

Friday: 1 in 4
Wear a FREE t-shirt that says 1 in 4, the number of college women who have experienced rape or attempted rape. Pick up shirts:

Wednesday, 1:30-9:30 PM: Reynold's Club basement
Thursday: 4-6, 8-10 (Reynold's Club basement)
6-8 (Stuart 101)

Please contact Michelle (rengaraj@uchicago.edu) or Raedy (rping@uchicago.edu) if you are interested in participating or if you need more information.

Also, let me know if you want to help flier, set up events, or any of that good stuff :)

a new virtual home!

So this is my new blog, where hopefully I will be less whiny and more interesting. Also, perhaps I will post more frequently. My high school teachers pushed me to do this, so be prepared for rants about politics, fashion, the University of Chicago, and all other fun things I enjoy. Yay for me!